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Back in my studio

This week was all about getting back into the creative process. Its the longest break I can remember away from my studio. With preparations for Australia, the 5 week trip followed by Christmas its nearly 3 months since I worked on my own embroideries! Will I remember how to do it? How can I get back into the process ?

The studio was a mess with my teaching folders and samples, empty frames, fabric and paperwork on every surface including the floor. It was impossible to work in there so yesterday I started to tidy up, it was a gentle reaquaintance with everything and it was lovely to be back in my familiar space with time to think about what to do next.

I found half finished embroideries, photographs, silk paintings and sketches of foaming waves and rocks I had planned to work from. I also had new photographs from my holiday in Maine with fabulous woodlands in autumn colours. I had gone to Australia before I could consider embroideries based on those images. I had ferns, moss covered trees and fast flowing streams in Tassie and the inspiring scenery along the Great Ocean Road. Too much choice and I didn’t know where to start!

Tidying up soon morphed into a bit of sketching, with lots of photos spread out before me. The tree ferns were my first choice and then I realised stitching was what I had really been missing.

So I dived into a picture I had started as a demonstration on a ‘Etched in Frost’ course a few months ago. I stretched up the silk, selected the thread colours, filled some bobbins and I was back in the zone! Bliss!

It probably won’t be the best piece of work I produce in 2014 but its a start and its great to be back. I shall revisit and tweak it into shape later. I need to find my rhythm and the familiar process will follow. Onwards now to new silk paintings and more stitching.